How to make a dosing pump work without a sump?

Weboh

Member
I was been to busy to care for my tank for awhile and had a bunch of coral die off when the calcium got too low, and even more died when I overcompensated adding calcium back. Thankfully no entire colonies died off, but needless to say I don't want this happening again.

I want to use a dosing pump to automate the process, but since I don't have a sump, I'm not sure what options--if any--are available. Does anyone have any advice on dosing pumps that can operate without a sump? I do have a shelf above my tank, so the pump wouldn't need to push far, it'd just have to automatically dispense a certain amount. I'm looking for the cheapest option that will work.

Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
Almost any peristaltic pump will work.
You will need a container to draw from.
BRS sells a 1.1 ml/min. doser that you can set with a timer to dose what you need.
They also sell a 50 ml/min. unit
They can operate from inside the cabinet and are not noisy but do make some sound.
 
You just dose into the main tank (in front of a powerhead would be good)...a sump is not a requirement..
Funny you didnt mention alkalinity dosing.. Or mag..
Coral issues are typically relqted to alk swings vs cal
 
You just dose into the main tank (in front of a powerhead would be good)...a sump is not a requirement..
Funny you didnt mention alkalinity dosing.. Or mag..
Coral issues are typically relqted to alk swings vs cal
I currently dose in the main tank in front of a powerhead. Most equipment that I see, though, is made to go into the sump or the "works" beneath the tank. I wasn't sure if any would work just placed on shelf above the tank.

I dose alk on regular basis too, as half of a two-step "calcium" solution. I don't usually have to worry about mg much in my tank though; I could get away with doing that manually, unattached to the doser.

Vinny Kreyling said:
Almost any peristaltic pump will work.
You will need a container to draw from.
BRS sells a 1.1 ml/min. doser that you can set with a timer to dose what you need.
They also sell a 50 ml/min. unit
They can operate from inside the cabinet and are not noisy but do make some sound.
I'll look into that pump. Good to know that most will work without being attached to "plumbing." Thanks.
 
Dosing pumps don't care if you dose into a sump or into the main tank..
You don't need to put it up above the tank either..
The peristaltic pumps will push fluid up hill just fine..
On a shelf above is totally fine too..
 
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